Refrigerator-door frame



Dec. 2, 1930.l G. w- FRlcK V REFRIGERATOR-DOOR FRAME Filed March 29. 1950 Patented Dec. 2, 1930v 1 .Gnonenw Finck, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND EEFRIGERATOR-DOOR FRAME Application led. March y29, 1930. Serial N0. 439,969.

This invention relates to doorframesand i has reference to a door frame for rooms, com'u partments and boxes which" are "to-be hermetically sealed.

More particularly the invention relates to frames for ice box doors.v

Ice box door frames and doors are usually of either stepped and bevelled construction, or are providedwith an elastic packing of rubber, felt or the like, or are both bevelled and elastically packed'. Bevel-ling along does not make alasting tight joint between the door and frame because of wear, shrinkage andV the like. Packings of rubber, felt or other `like materials are also unsatisfactory because of wear and deterioration.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel and efficient self packing door frame' which will have practically no deterioration from time and which will at all times provide hermetic closure around the door-supported in the frame.

A second important object of the invention is to provide a novel yand efficient ar- 5 rangement of metallic sealing strips in such a frame. y f A third important object of the invention is to -provide novel spring means Vfor holdJ ing such strips in contact with the door.

A fourth important object of the invention is to provide novel means for maintaining close engagement between the side strips and the strips at the top and bottom of the door.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention. consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically'claimed. `In the drawings y Figure 1is an elevation'of a door frame constructed in accordance with this invention,y a portion of a door being shown there- Figure 2 is an enlarged detail showing a portion of theinner edge or face of one of the side frame members, certain parts being 5o broken away to disclose thos-ebeneath;`

-between the strips 14 is a sealing plate hav- 7 `spaced ribs 21 between whichl iits a presser Figure 3 is a sectionron theline 3-3 of. Figure 2; Y i Y Figure 4is a still more enlarged section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

The door frame constructed in accordance with this invention has the usual side members 10 and top and bottom members 11. The construction of all of these members is substantially the same except for slight diierences in the side frame members which will be presently explained.

Each member includes a channel like body having side wallsy 12 and a bottom 13, and while here shown as of wood, theseparts may be made of wood or metal or other suitable material asmay be desired. On the edge of each side 12 there is secured a facing strip 14 which projects inwardly from the side 12, the inner edges of these strips being spaced to provide a slot therebetween. The inner edge portions of these strips are supported on posts 15 which are secured to the bottom 13 by, for instance, sinking theminto said bottom .as shown in Figure 4. Closing the slot ing a transversely arcuate portion 16` which projects through the slot to engage the door also this plate is provided with lateral flanges 17 which lie beneath the strips 14 and are provided with suitable openings 18 for the posts 15. These openings 18 are, in the side members, vertically elongated for reasons which will be presently understood. Springs 19 surround the'posts 15 and urge the flanges 1*( into contact with the strips 16 and these springs are surroundedat the'portions ad-V jacent the bottomV 13 `with'housing tubes 20. Extending longitudinally 'of the bottom are bar 22 which is held m contact with the arcuate portion 16 of the sealing strip ,by springs 23, these springs being supported'on guide pins 24. Bolts 25. and spacers 26 serve to hold t-he ribs in proper spaced relation, the presser bar being provided with notches 27 to receive said spacers. The sealing strips for the top and bottom run from side to side of i the frame preferably in a single length. The side frame sealing strips have their ends fil notched as at 28 to fit the top and bottom strips and are formed in two halves which have their proximal ends rabbeted to engage slidingly on a line 29 and to move toward and from each other at edges 30. A cover or bridge piece 3l is fixed beneath one of these ends and is in sliding contact with the other. Each of the halves of the side sealing strips carries a post 32 and between the posts S2 of each side is a compression spring 33 by which the halves of the side are urged apart so that close Contact is kept at all times between the ends of the side sealing strips and the end portions of the top and bottom sealing strips. .it is to be noted that the door is made to fit sufficiently tight, that the sealing strips are, upon closing of the door, moved outwardly of' the door frame to a certain extent thereby insuring a tight fit between the door and said strips and making a hermetic closure.

There has thus been provided a simple and efhcient device of the lrind describen and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departingfrom the principles thereof. it is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described but it is desired to include all such as come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is l. A door frame having side, top and bottoni members, each of said members being of' channel form provided with a bottom and side walls, strips secured to the side walls and projecting inwardly therefrom and having their inner edges spaced to provide a` slot, al sealing' strip having a transversely arcuate central portion projecting through the slot and lateral flanges underlying the inwardly projecting portions of the first strips, and spring means yieldably holding the arcuate portion of the sealing strip in projected position.

2. A door frame having side, top and bottom members, each of said members being of channel form provided with a bottom and side walls, strips secured to the side walls and projecting inwardly therefrom and having their inneredges spaced to provide a slot, a. sealing strip having a transversely arcuate central portion projecting through the slot and lateral flanges underlying the inwar ly projecting portions of the first strips, and springs extending between said bottom and the flanges and urging the flanges toward the first strips.

3. A door frame having side, top and bottoni members, each of said members being of channel form provided with a bottom and side walls, strips secured to the side walls and pr jecting inwardly therefrom and having their inner edges spaced to provide a slot, a sealing strip having a transversely arcuate central portion projecting through the slot and lateral flanges underlying the inwardly projecting portions of the first strips, springs extending between said bottom and the flanges and urging the flanges toward the rst strips, and yieldable means supporting the arcuate portion of the sealing strip in projected position.

l. A door frame having side, top and bottom members, each of said members being of channel form provided with a bottom and side walls, strips secured to the side walls and projecting inwardly therefrom and having their inner edges spaced to provide a slot, a sealing strip having a transversely arcuate central portion projecting vthrough the slot and lateral flanges underlying the inwardly projecting portions of the first strips, springs eX- tci-,ding between said bottom and the flanges and urging the flanges toward the first strips, guide ribs extending longitudinally of the bottom, a pre ser strip movable between said ribs and engaging the arcuate portion of the sealing strip, and springs between the bottom and the presser strips.

5. A door frame having side, top and bottom members, each of said membersibeing of channel form provided with a` bottom and side walls, strips `secured to the side walls and projecting inwardly therefrom and having their inner edges spaced to provide a slot, a sealing strip having a transversely arcuate central portion projecting through the slot and lateral flanges underlying the inwardly projecting portions of the first strips, spring means yieldably holding the arcuate portion of the sealing strip in projected position, the side sealing strips being formed in sections, slidably connected at their adjacent ends, means to `seal the joint between said adjacent ends, and a spring urging said adjacent ends apart, the remote ends ofsaid sections resting on the top and bottom members.

6. A door frame having side, top and bottom members, each of said members being of channel form provided with a bottom and side walls, strips secured to the side walls and projecting inwardly therefrom and having their inner edges spaced to provide a slot, a sealing strip having a transversely arcuate central portion projecting through the slot and lateral flanges underlying the inwardly projecting portions of the first strips, springs eX- tending between said bottom and the flanges and urging the flanges toward the first strips, the side sealing strips being formed in sections slidably connected at their adjacent ends, means to seal the joint between said adjacent ends, and a spring urging said adjacent ends apart, the remote ends of said secl tions resting on the top and bottom members.

7. A door frame having side, top and bottom members, each'of said members being of channel form providedwith a bottoni and side walls, strips secured to the side walls and projecting inwardly therefrom and having their inner edges spaced to provide a slot, a sealing strip having a transversely .arcuate central portion projecting through the slot and lateral flanges underlying the inwardly projecting portions of. the first strips, springs eX- tending between said bottom and the flanges and urging the flanges toward the firststrips, yieldable means supporting the arcuate porm tion of the sealing strip in projected position, the `side sea-ling strips being formed in sec-k tions slidably connected at their adjacent ends, means to seal the joint between said adjacent ends, and a spring urging said adjacent ends apart, the remote ends of said sections resting on the top and bottom members.

8. A door frame having side, top and bottom members, each of said members being of j channel form provided with a bottom and side walls, strips secured to the side walls and projecting inwardly therefrom and having their inner edges spaced to provide a slot, a sealing strip having a transversely yarcuate central portion projecting through the slot and lateral flanges underlying the inwardly projecting portions of the irst strips, springs extending between .said bottom and the flanges and urging the flanges toward the iirst strips, guide ribs extending longitudinally of 3,, the bottom, a presser strip movable between said ribs and engaging the arcuate portion of the sealing strip, springs between the bottom and the presser strips, the side sealing strips being formed in sections slidably connected at their adjacent ends, means to seal the joint between said adjacent ends, and a spring ur ing `said adjacent ends apart, the remote en s of said sections resting on the topand bottom members. 40 ln testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

GEORGE W. FRICK. 

